"Pope Francis declared on Tuesday he is allowing all priests in the church's upcoming Year of Mercy to absolve women of the 'sin of abortion' if they repent with a 'contrite heart,' saying he is acutely aware some feel they have no choice but to abort.
Reflecting his papacy's central theme of mercy, Francis said in letter published by the Vatican that he has met many women bearing 'the scar of this agonizing' decision to abort. He said God's forgiveness cannot be denied to those who repent, and therefore he is giving all priests the power to absolve the sin in the Holy Year of Mercy, which runs Dec. 8, 2015 until Nov. 20, 2016.
The church views abortion as such a grave sin that, until now, a Catholic woman who wanted to repent for an abortion could not simply go to her local parish priest. Instead, her diocese's bishop needed to delegate a priest expert at dealing with such confessions, to hear the woman's confession, or reserved for himself the decision on whether to absolve such women.
Essentially Francis is making it possible for women to bypass this formalized process in the approaching special Year of Mercy."
---Associated Press, September 1, 2015
The Dow Jones Industrial Average
September 1, 2015 (Tuesday)
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, D-Maryland, Announces Support of the Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 2, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: U.S. News & World Reportgraphic posted on Twitter, September 2, 2015
"President Barack Obama on Wednesday secured the 34th Senate vote needed to sustain a veto of any congressional resolution disapproving a nuclear deal with Iran, ensuring the accord will not fail in the U.S. Congress.
Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski announced her support for the agreement, becoming the 32nd Senate Democrat, along with two independents, to back a pact announced on July 14, which exchanges sanctions relief for Iran for Tehran's agreeing to curtail its nuclear program.
The move means Obama's fellow Democrats will have enough votes to protect the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in the U.S. Congress.
Their next goal is to see if they can gather at least 41 votes in the Senate to use the filibuster procedural rule to block a disapproval resolution in the Senate and keep Obama from having to use his veto power."
"A defiant county clerk went to jail Thursday for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, but five of her deputies agreed to issue the licenses themselves, potentially ending the church-state standoff in Rowan County, Kentucky.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning said he had no choice but to jail Kim Davis for contempt after she insisted that her 'conscience will not allow' her to follow federal court rulings on gay marriage.
'God's moral law conflicts with my job duties,' Davis told the judge before she was taken away by a U.S. marshal. 'You can't be separated from something that's in your heart and in your soul.'
Bunning offered to release Davis if she would promise not to interfere with her employees issuing marriage licenses on Friday morning. But Davis, through her attorneys, rejected that offer and chose to stay in jail.
Gay and lesbian couples vowed to appear at the Rowan County clerk's office for the fifth time on Friday to see if the deputy clerks would keep their promises."
"A Kentucky county clerk was jailed on Thursday for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, and a full day of court hearings failed to put an end to her two-month-old legal fight over a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding same-sex marriage.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning found Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in contempt then elicited a pledge from five of her six deputies to issue the licenses. But attorneys for Davis said she would deny them that authority, raising questions about the validity of any licenses they might issue.
The 49-year-old woman, who has emerged as a darling of social conservatives, has refused to issue licenses to any couples, gay or straight, since the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the U.S. Constitution, citing her beliefs as an Apostolic Christian."
---Reuters, September 3, 2015
Monthly Jobs Report: U.S. Economy Creates 173,000 Jobs in August 2015
"Up to 500 supporters gathered outside a Kentucky jail on Saturday to support a county clerk held there for defying a federal judge's order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, 49, who refused the licenses due to her Christian belief that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, said she was prepared to remain in jail where she has been reading a Bible since her incarceration for contempt on Thursday, her lawyers said.
On Saturday, a white banner spray-painted with the black letters 'Kim Davis POW' was placed near the entrance of the jail in Grayson, Kentucky, and a bagpipe and drum corps played 'You're a Grand Old Flag' and marched to a field across from the jail.
'God is going to continue to bless Kim Davis,' the mayor of Grayson George Steele told those gathered before leading the group in prayer for the program, which ran a little over an hour.
Davis's husband, Joe Davis, cracked with emotion and thanked supporters. Her pastor, Daniel Carter, said the clerk was grateful for their support.
'Sister Kim Davis is an American hero,' Carter said."
---Reuters, September 5, 2015
High-Ranking Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz Announces Support for Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 6, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida; Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
"Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, announced on Sunday that she will support the nuclear agreement with Iran that has roiled many in her Florida district.
'I’ll be casting my vote to support the deal and if necessary sustain the president’s veto,' she told Jake Tapper on 'State of the Union' on CNN. While she called it a 'gut wrenching' decision-making process that caused her 'angst and pause,' she concluded that the agreement would 'put Iran years away from being a threshold nuclear state.'
The congresswoman choked up emotionally as she talked about the difficulty of the decision as a 'Jewish mother' and the first Jewish woman elected to the House from Florida.
'There’s nothing more important to me as a Jew than to ensure that Israel’s existence is there throughout our generations,' she said. She added: 'There is no way that we would be able to ensure that better than approving this deal.'
In a separate interview, former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell endorsed the agreement as well, calling it 'a pretty good deal' that includes a 'very vigorous' inspection system and imposes significant restrictions on Iran."
"When Ahmed Mohamed went to his high school in Irving, Texas, Monday, he was so excited. A teenager with dreams of becoming an engineer, he wanted to show his teacher the digital clock he'd made from a pencil case.
The 14-year-old's day ended not with praise, but punishment, after the school called police and he was arrested.
'I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her, she thought it was a threat to her,' Ahmed told reporters Wednesday. 'It was really sad that she took the wrong impression of it.'
Ahmed talked to the media gathered on his front yard and appeared to wear the same NASA T-shirt he had on in a picture taken as he was being arrested. In the image, he looks confused and upset as he's being led out of school in handcuffs.
'They arrested me and they told me that I committed the crime of a hoax bomb, a fake bomb,' the freshman later explained to WFAA after authorities released him."
---CNN, September 16, 2015
Donald Trump Campaigns in Dallas, Texas
September 14, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump at Dallas, Texas campaign event, Monday, September 14, 2015
"Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is renewing his campaign against illegal immigration, telling a cheering crowd of thousands in Dallas that 'it's disgusting what's happening to our country.'"
Trump's continued harsh statements on immigration come despite calls from GOP officials to tone down his rhetoric on the sensitive issue.
He told the crowd at the American Airlines Center Monday that the United States is 'a dumping ground for the rest of the world.' And he promised Republican leaders he's just getting started.
The GOP front-runner decried 'anchor babies' and gang members among the immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, drawing huge ovations from a rowdy audience. The 20,000-capacity venue was at least three-quarters full for the evening rally.
'You people are suffering,' Trump told the Texans. 'I'm in New York, but they're in New York, too. They're all over the place.'"
---Associated Press, September 15, 2015
The Dow Increases 228 Points
September 15, 2015 (Tuesday)
Immigration Crisis in Europe: Unrest at Hungarian Border
"In one of the worst bursts of violence that this tense refugee summer has seen, Hungarian riot police responded on Wednesday to rocks, taunts and small fires set by agitated migrants at the border crossing here with water cannons, head-cracking batons and both tear gas and pepper spray.
Although the word was quickly spreading along the migrant trail that heading toward Croatia from Serbia was a better bet than trying to push through the heavily guarded border into Hungary, hundreds of straggling refugees continued to turn up at the crossing here in hopes that Hungary would change its mind and let them through."
---New York Times, September 16, 2015
GOP Presidential Debate at the Reagan Presidential Library
"Determined to prove their mettle, several Republican presidential candidates showed new aggressiveness in lacing into Donald J. Trump on Wednesday night, seeking to elevate themselves as leaders of substance and shake up a race that Mr. Trump has dominated all summer.
While moderators at the CNN debate tried repeatedly to pit one Republican after another against Mr. Trump, the candidates fought to break out of that dynamic, with Carly Fiorina emerging as an especially tenacious combatant who provided some of the few moments where Mr. Trump looked uncomfortable.
The debate covered a broad range of subjects — immigration, the nuclear deal with Iran, same-sex marriage, federal financing for Planned Parenthood — and was more inclusive than the first debate last month, allowing each of the 11 candidates to engage through a nearly three-hour forum that tested their endurance."
---New York Times, September 16, 2015
Culture War: Man at Donald Trump Rally Declares Muslims to be a National Problem, and Calls Obama a Muslim
September 17, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of GOP presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at a town hall event in Rochester, New Hampshire, September 17, 2015
"In brokering the historic thaw between Cuba and the United States, Pope Francis stepped squarely into the thorny realm of geopolitics, sending letters to the presidents of both nations, playing host to secret meetings in the halls of the Vatican and nudging the Cold War enemies to put a half-century of vitriol and mistrust behind them.
But as he arrived in Havana on Saturday, the first stop of a nine-day papal trip to Cuba and the United States, Francis faced a new challenge altogether: Having helped open up Cuba to the world, the first Latin American pope must now try to fully open up Cuba to the Roman Catholic Church. 'It is an occasion to ask for more openness,' said the Rev. Jorge Cela, who oversaw the Jesuit religious order in Cuba from 2010 to 2012. 'The relationship is not easy.'
Francis was greeted at the airport by President Raúl Castro and children who welcomed him with flowers."
"The pope of the poor arrived for his first-ever visit to the world's wealthiest superpower Tuesday denying he is a leftist and riding in a frugal little family car, windows rolled down.
Pope Francis' chartered plane from Cuba touched down at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where President Barack Obama and his wife and daughters paid him the rare honor of meeting him at the bottom of the stairs on the red-carpeted tarmac. Presidents usually make important visitors come to them at the White House.
Emerging from the aircraft to loud cheers from a crowd of hundreds, the smiling 78-year-old pontiff removed his skullcap in the windy weather and made his way down the steps in his white robes.
He was welcomed by a military honor guard, chanting schoolchildren, politicians, and Roman Catholic clerics in black robes with vivid sashes of scarlet and purple. Joe Biden, the nation's first Catholic vice president, and his wife were among those who greeted him.
Eschewing a limousine, the pope climbed into the back of a little Fiat sandwiched between huge black SUVs. He promptly rolled down the windows, enabling the cheering, whooping crowds to see him as his motorcade took him to the Vatican diplomatic mission in Washington, where he will stay while in the nation's capital."
---Associated Press, September 22, 2015
Pope Francis in Washington, D.C.
September 23, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: AP photo of First Lady Michelle Obama, Pope Francis, and President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, D.C., September 23, 2015
"Cheered by jubilant crowds across the nation's capital, Pope Francis forged common cause Wednesday with President Barack Obama on climate change, immigration and inequality, as the popular pontiff signaled he would not sidestep issues that have deeply divided Americans.
On his first full day in the United States, the pope also reached out to America's 450 bishops, many of whom have struggled to come to terms with his new social justice-minded direction for the Catholic Church. He gently prodded the bishops to forgo 'harsh and divisive language,' while commending their 'courage' in the face of the church's sexual abuse scandal — rhetoric that angered victims he may meet with later in his trip.
Late in the day, Francis — the first pope from the Americas — canonized Junipero Serra, the famous 18th century Spanish friar who brought the Catholic faith to California."
---Associated Press, September 23, 2015
Pope Francis Delivers Address to the United States Congress
"Plunging Congress into deeper turmoil, House Speaker John Boehner abruptly announced his resignation Friday, shutting down a tea party drive to depose the nation's highest-ranking Republican but opening up fresh troubles for the GOP.
The 13-term Ohio lawmaker, second in line to the presidency, shocked his rank-and-file when he told them of his plans in an emotional closed-door meeting. He said he would step down from the speaker's job he's held for nearly five years, and from Congress, at the end of October.
One important result: A government shutdown threatened for next week is all but sure to be averted — but only for now. A new December deadline and a potentially market-rattling fight over the government's borrowing limit still lie ahead.
Boehner's announcement came one day after a high point of his congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to Congress at the speaker's request.
It also came before what would have been a new low: a potential floor vote to oust him as speaker, pushed by Republican tea partyers convinced he was capitulating in a struggle over Planned Parenthood funding that threatened a government shutdown next Thursday. Such a formal challenge against a speaker has not been used in the House for over 100 years.
On Friday, an upbeat Boehner declared that he'd decided to spare the House, and himself, the chaos such a vote would bring."
"'I consider this a victory for the crazies,' said one Republican congressman who attended the meeting in which Speaker John Boehner shocked the political world by announcing his resignation.
Boehner, the consummate congressional dealmaker, faced another looming government shutdown. His abrupt decision to resign at the end of October is a sign that there are no more deals to be made with the conservative Kamikaze caucus.
The fundamentalist crew that Boehner-allied Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes has called 'lemmings with suicide vests' and 'right-wing Marxists' has been preparing to take the country to the brink of shutdown and default again this fall over their demand to defund Planned Parenthood and refusal to raise the debt ceiling."
---John Avlon, The Daily Beast, September 25, 2015
"The news of House Speaker John Boehner's resignation brought hundreds of religious conservatives to their feet to cheer — and one after another, much of the Republican Party's presidential class joined Friday in their rejoicing."
"Speaker John A. Boehner, under intense pressure from conservatives in his party, announced on Friday that he would resign one of the most powerful positions in government and give up his House seat at the end of October, as Congress moved to avert a government shutdown.
Mr. Boehner, who was first elected to Congress in 1990, made the announcement in an emotional meeting with his fellow Republicans on Friday morning."
Above: AP photo of Pope Francis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015; AP photo of Pope Francis and a disabled boy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015
Above: AP photos of Pope Francis at mass in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015
"On the final leg of his first trip to the United States, Francis arrived in Philadelphia and went straight to the city’s Roman Catholic basilica, exhorting ordinary Catholics to bolster their role in sustaining the church. After a Mass before 2,400 people and a long midday rest, he traveled to Independence Mall and broadened his canvas: addressing the place of faith in a nation."
---New York Times, September 26, 2015
Iraq Announces Greater Russian and Iranian Role in Matters of Intelligence and Security
September 26-27, 2015 (Saturday-Sunday)
Above: Map of the Middle East showing the proximity of Iraq, Iran, and a small portion of Russia
Above: World map with Russia highlighted in orange, and Iraq highlighted and circled in green
Above: World map with Russia highlighted in orange, and Iran highlighted in green
Above: World map with Russia highlighted in green, and Syria highlighted and circled in orange
"Iraq said on Saturday that its military officials were engaged in intelligence and security cooperation in Baghdad with Russia, Iran and Syria to counter the threat from the Islamic State militant group, a pact that could raise concerns in Washington.
A statement from the Iraqi military's joint operations command said the cooperation had come 'with increased Russian concern about the presence of thousands of terrorists from Russia undertaking criminal acts with Daesh (Islamic State).'
The move could give Moscow more sway in the Middle East. It has stepped up its military involvement in Syria in recent weeks while pressing for Damascus to be included in international efforts to fight Islamic State, a demand Washington rejects.
Moscow's involvement in Iraq could mean increased competition for Washington from a Cold War enemy as long-time enemy Iran increases its influence through Shi'ite militia allies just four years after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
By raising the stakes in Syria's four-year-old civil war, Russia has prompted its Cold War foe to expand diplomatic channels with it.
Western officials have said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wants to launch a new effort at the U.N. General Assembly this week to try to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict.
Diplomacy has taken on new urgency in light of Russia's military build-up in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a refugee crisis that has spilled into Europe.
Critics have urged U.S. President Barack Obama to be more decisive in the Middle East, particularly towards the Syrian conflict, and say lack of a clear American policy has given Islamic State opportunities to expand."
"Iraq's military said Sunday it will begin sharing 'security and intelligence' information with Syria, Russia and Iran to help combat the Islamic State group, a move that could further complicate U.S. efforts to battle the extremists without working with Damascus and its allies."
"The Iraqi military announced Sunday that it had agreed to share intelligence about the Islamic State with Russia, the Syrian government and Iran, an agreement that caught the Obama administration off guard.
The Iraqi military said in a statement that the new agreement was necessary because thousands of volunteers who have joined the Islamic State have come from Russia. Asked if he welcomed the accord, Secretary of State John Kerry said it was important that the United States and Russia coordinate."
---New York Times, September 27, 2015
French President Francois Hollande Announces French Attacks Carried Out in Syria
September 27, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: President of France Francois Hollande; Wikipedia map of Syria
"Six French jet fighters targeted and destroyed an Islamic State training camp in eastern Syria in a five-hour operation on Sunday, President Francois Hollande announced, making good on a promise to go after the group that he has said is planning attacks against several countries, including France.
The multiple airstrikes were the first in Syria by France as it expands its mission against IS, until now centered in Iraq."
---Associated Press, September 27, 2015
House Speaker John Boehner Denounces "False Prophets" Within the GOP
September 27, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: John Boehner, R-Ohio; AP photo of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas
Above: AP map of Afghanistan showing Kunduz, the city captured by the Taliban on September 28, 2015; AP photo of a Taliban militant holding a weapon in Kunduz, Afghanistan on September 28, 2015
"The Taliban captured the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Monday in a multi-pronged attack involving hundreds of fighters, the first time the insurgents have seized a major urban area since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.
The fast-moving assault took military and intelligence agencies by surprise as the insurgents descended on the city, one of Afghanistan's richest and the target of repeated Taliban offensives as the militants spread their fight across the country following the withdrawal last year of U.S. and NATO combat troops.
Within 12 hours of launching the offensive around 3 a.m., the militants had reached the main square, tearing down photographs of President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders and raising the white flag of the Taliban movement, residents reported.
More than 600 prisoners, including 140 Taliban fighters, were released from the city's jail, and many people were trying to reach the airport to flee the city."
---Associated Press, September 28, 2015
Pew Research Publishes Report Regarding U.S. Immigrant Population
"Fifty years after passage of the landmark law that rewrote U.S. immigration policy, nearly 59 million immigrants have arrived in the United States, pushing the country’s foreign-born share to a near record 14%. For the past half-century, these modern-era immigrants and their descendants have accounted for just over half the nation’s population growth and have reshaped its racial and ethnic composition.
Looking ahead, new Pew Research Center U.S. population projections show that if current demographic trends continue, future immigrants and their descendants will be an even bigger source of population growth. Between 2015 and 2065, they are projected to account for 88% of the U.S. population increase, or 103 million people, as the nation grows to 441 million."
---Pew Research Center, September 28, 2015
President Obama Addresses the United Nations General Assembly
September 28, 2015 (Monday)
NASA Announces Liquid Water Does Flow on the Surface of Mars
September 28, 2015 (Monday)
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and First Lady Now Officially Divorced
September 29, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama First Lady Dianne Bentley in Montgomery, Alabama on January 19, 2015
"A judge on Tuesday signed a divorce decree for Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and former first lady Dianne Bentley, quietly concluding the couple's 50-year marriage.
Tuscaloosa Family Court Judge Philip Lisenby signed the decree a day after the Bentleys submitted an agreement to divide their financial assets and a month after Dianne Bentley filed for divorce saying their marriage had suffered an 'irretrievable breakdown.'
Dianne Bentley told the judge in a sworn statement unsealed Tuesday that the couple, both 72, had become incompatible, citing a difference in their preferred lifestyle."
---Associated Press, September 29, 2015
Russia Begins Conducting Airstrikes in Syria
September 30, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Antiwar.com map of Syria; President of Russia Vladimir Putin; President of Syria Bashar al-Assad
Above: AP photo of U.S. Secretary of State at a United Nations Security Council meeting, September 30, 2015
"President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ordered a round of airstrikes in Syria on Wednesday, adding an unpredictable and potentially destabilizing element to a complex sectarian war that has drawn in the United States and regional powers while creating millions of refugees.
While Moscow’s stated purpose in Syria is to fight Islamic State militants, Russian warplanes and helicopter gunships dropped bombs north of the central city of Homs, in an area held by rebel groups opposed to Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, a Russian ally. The attacks were unleashed hours after Mr. Putin pushed a measure through the upper house of Russia’s rubber stamp Parliament authorizing the use of force abroad."
"Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday that the Russian airstrikes in Syria appear to have targeted areas that do not include Islamic State fighters, a development which Secretary of State John Kerry said would cause 'grave concern' for the United States.
Kerry told the United Nations Security Council that the U.S. would not object to Russians hitting Islamic State or al-Qaida targets but airstrikes just to strengthen the hand of Syrian President Bashar Assad would be worrisome."
"Russia launched air strikes in Syria on Wednesday in the Kremlin's biggest Middle East intervention in decades, but Moscow's assertion that it had hit Islamic State was immediately disputed by the United States and rebels on the ground.
The air strikes plunged the four-year-old civil war in Syria into a volatile new phase as President Vladimir Putin moved forcefully to assert Russian influence in the unstable region.
Moscow and Washington offered conflicting accounts of which targets had been struck, underlining growing tensions between the two former Cold War foes over Russia's decision to intervene. Washington is concerned that Moscow is more interested in propping up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad than in beating Islamic State.
The Russian defense ministry said the strikes targeted military equipment, communication facilities, arms depots, ammunition and fuel belonging to Islamic State.
U.S. officials said targets in the Homs area appeared to have been struck, but not areas held by Islamic State.
Russia warned the United States ahead of the strikes to keep its aircraft out of Syrian airspace, but the United States pressed forward with its campaign of air strikes against Islamic State forces and said it had targeted Islamic State near the Syrian city of Aleppo.
A U.S. official said Moscow gave Washington just an hour's notice of its strikes, which the Kremlin said were designed to help Assad, its closest regional ally, push back Islamist militants."
September 2015
Pope Francis Issues New Instructions Regarding Abortion and Absolution
September 1, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above:
Associated Press: Pope Francis Issues New Instructions Regarding Abortion and Absolution
"Pope Francis declared on Tuesday he is allowing all priests in the church's upcoming Year of Mercy to absolve women of the 'sin of abortion' if they repent with a 'contrite heart,' saying he is acutely aware some feel they have no choice but to abort.
Reflecting his papacy's central theme of mercy, Francis said in letter published by the Vatican that he has met many women bearing 'the scar of this agonizing' decision to abort. He said God's forgiveness cannot be denied to those who repent, and therefore he is giving all priests the power to absolve the sin in the Holy Year of Mercy, which runs Dec. 8, 2015 until Nov. 20, 2016.
The church views abortion as such a grave sin that, until now, a Catholic woman who wanted to repent for an abortion could not simply go to her local parish priest. Instead, her diocese's bishop needed to delegate a priest expert at dealing with such confessions, to hear the woman's confession, or reserved for himself the decision on whether to absolve such women.
Essentially Francis is making it possible for women to bypass this formalized process in the approaching special Year of Mercy."
---Associated Press, September 1, 2015
The Dow Jones Industrial Average
September 1, 2015 (Tuesday)
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, D-Maryland, Announces Support of the Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 2, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: U.S. News & World Report graphic posted on Twitter, September 2, 2015
Reuters: 34th Democratic Senator Announces Support of the Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 2, 2015
"President Barack Obama on Wednesday secured the 34th Senate vote needed to sustain a veto of any congressional resolution disapproving a nuclear deal with Iran, ensuring the accord will not fail in the U.S. Congress.
Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski announced her support for the agreement, becoming the 32nd Senate Democrat, along with two independents, to back a pact announced on July 14, which exchanges sanctions relief for Iran for Tehran's agreeing to curtail its nuclear program.
The move means Obama's fellow Democrats will have enough votes to protect the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in the U.S. Congress.
Their next goal is to see if they can gather at least 41 votes in the Senate to use the filibuster procedural rule to block a disapproval resolution in the Senate and keep Obama from having to use his veto power."
---Reuters, September 2, 2015
Associated Press: Senator Barbara Mikulski Announces Support of Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 2, 2015
Culture War in Kentucky: Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis Jailed for Defying Court Order Authorizing Same-Sex Marriage
September 3, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Above:
Associated Press: Rowan County (Kentucky) Clerk Kim Davis Jailed for Contempt of Court in her Refusal to Issue Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples, September 3, 2015
"A defiant county clerk went to jail Thursday for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, but five of her deputies agreed to issue the licenses themselves, potentially ending the church-state standoff in Rowan County, Kentucky.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning said he had no choice but to jail Kim Davis for contempt after she insisted that her 'conscience will not allow' her to follow federal court rulings on gay marriage.
'God's moral law conflicts with my job duties,' Davis told the judge before she was taken away by a U.S. marshal. 'You can't be separated from something that's in your heart and in your soul.'
Bunning offered to release Davis if she would promise not to interfere with her employees issuing marriage licenses on Friday morning. But Davis, through her attorneys, rejected that offer and chose to stay in jail.
Gay and lesbian couples vowed to appear at the Rowan County clerk's office for the fifth time on Friday to see if the deputy clerks would keep their promises."
---Associated Press, September 3, 2015
Reuters: Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis Jailed for Defying Court Order Authorizing Same-Sex Marriage, September 3, 2015
"A Kentucky county clerk was jailed on Thursday for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, and a full day of court hearings failed to put an end to her two-month-old legal fight over a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding same-sex marriage.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning found Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in contempt then elicited a pledge from five of her six deputies to issue the licenses. But attorneys for Davis said she would deny them that authority, raising questions about the validity of any licenses they might issue.
The 49-year-old woman, who has emerged as a darling of social conservatives, has refused to issue licenses to any couples, gay or straight, since the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the U.S. Constitution, citing her beliefs as an Apostolic Christian."
---Reuters, September 3, 2015
Monthly Jobs Report: U.S. Economy Creates 173,000 Jobs in August 2015
September 4, 2015 (Friday)
Above:
Associated Press: U.S. Economy Creates 173,000 Jobs in August 2015
Culture War in Kentucky: Hundreds Rally in Kentucky in Support of Jailed Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis
September 5, 2015 (Saturday)
Reuters: Hundreds Rally in Kentucky in Support of Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, September 5, 2015
"Up to 500 supporters gathered outside a Kentucky jail on Saturday to support a county clerk held there for defying a federal judge's order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, 49, who refused the licenses due to her Christian belief that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, said she was prepared to remain in jail where she has been reading a Bible since her incarceration for contempt on Thursday, her lawyers said.
On Saturday, a white banner spray-painted with the black letters 'Kim Davis POW' was placed near the entrance of the jail in Grayson, Kentucky, and a bagpipe and drum corps played 'You're a Grand Old Flag' and marched to a field across from the jail.
'God is going to continue to bless Kim Davis,' the mayor of Grayson George Steele told those gathered before leading the group in prayer for the program, which ran a little over an hour.
Davis's husband, Joe Davis, cracked with emotion and thanked supporters. Her pastor, Daniel Carter, said the clerk was grateful for their support.
'Sister Kim Davis is an American hero,' Carter said."
---Reuters, September 5, 2015
High-Ranking Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz Announces Support for Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 6, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida; Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
Associated Press: Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz Announces Support of Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 6, 2015
New York Times: Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Colin Powell Back Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 6, 2015
"Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, announced on Sunday that she will support the nuclear agreement with Iran that has roiled many in her Florida district.
'I’ll be casting my vote to support the deal and if necessary sustain the president’s veto,' she told Jake Tapper on 'State of the Union' on CNN. While she called it a 'gut wrenching' decision-making process that caused her 'angst and pause,' she concluded that the agreement would 'put Iran years away from being a threshold nuclear state.'
The congresswoman choked up emotionally as she talked about the difficulty of the decision as a 'Jewish mother' and the first Jewish woman elected to the House from Florida.
'There’s nothing more important to me as a Jew than to ensure that Israel’s existence is there throughout our generations,' she said. She added: 'There is no way that we would be able to ensure that better than approving this deal.'
In a separate interview, former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell endorsed the agreement as well, calling it 'a pretty good deal' that includes a 'very vigorous' inspection system and imposes significant restrictions on Iran."
---New York Times, September 6, 2015
September 7, 2015 (Monday)
Reuters: Vice President Joe Biden on Labor Day 2015
Additional Democrats in the U.S. Senate Announce Support for the Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 8, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above:
Associated Press: Additional Democratic Senators Announce Support for Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 8, 2015
Culture War in Kentucky: Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis Released from Jail
September 8, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above:
Above:
Associated Press: Kim Davis Released from Jail, September 8, 2015
Conservatives Rally Against the Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 9, 2015 (Wednesday)
ABC News: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz Lead Rally Against the Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 9, 2015
In the U.S. Senate, Democrats Block Republican Disapproval of Nuclear Deal with Iran
September 10, 2015 (Thursday)
Associated Press: Senate Democrats Block Disapproval Vote of Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 10, 2015
New York Times: Democrats Defeat GOP Efforts to Reject Nuclear Deal with Iran, September 10, 2015
New York Times: What Happens Next in the Nuclear Deal with Iran
Middle Eastern Refugee Crisis and Europe:
September 11, 2015 (Friday)
Associated Press: Coverage of the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Europe, September 11, 2015
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry Suspends his Presidential Candidacy
September 11, 2015 (Friday)
Associated Press: Rick Perry Drops Out of the 2016 Presidential Race, September 11, 2015
Middle Eastern Refugee Crisis: Germany Welcomes Several Thousand
September 12, 2015 (Saturday)
Associated Press: Coverage of the Middle Eastern Refugee Crisis, September 12, 2015
2015 NFL Season: Carolina Panthers Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20 to 9
September 13, 2015 (Sunday)
14-Year-Old Ahmed Mohamed Arrested After Bringing Homemade Digital Clock to School
September 14, 2015 (Monday)
CNN: 14-Year-Old Arrested After Bringing Homemade Digital Clock to School
"When Ahmed Mohamed went to his high school in Irving, Texas, Monday, he was so excited. A teenager with dreams of becoming an engineer, he wanted to show his teacher the digital clock he'd made from a pencil case.
The 14-year-old's day ended not with praise, but punishment, after the school called police and he was arrested.
'I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her, she thought it was a threat to her,' Ahmed told reporters Wednesday. 'It was really sad that she took the wrong impression of it.'
Ahmed talked to the media gathered on his front yard and appeared to wear the same NASA T-shirt he had on in a picture taken as he was being arrested. In the image, he looks confused and upset as he's being led out of school in handcuffs.
'They arrested me and they told me that I committed the crime of a hoax bomb, a fake bomb,' the freshman later explained to WFAA after authorities released him."
---CNN, September 16, 2015
Donald Trump Campaigns in Dallas, Texas
September 14, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump at Dallas, Texas campaign event, Monday, September 14, 2015
Associated Press: Trump Campaigns in Dallas, September 14, 2015
"Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is renewing his campaign against illegal immigration, telling a cheering crowd of thousands in Dallas that 'it's disgusting what's happening to our country.'"
Trump's continued harsh statements on immigration come despite calls from GOP officials to tone down his rhetoric on the sensitive issue.
He told the crowd at the American Airlines Center Monday that the United States is 'a dumping ground for the rest of the world.' And he promised Republican leaders he's just getting started.
The GOP front-runner decried 'anchor babies' and gang members among the immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, drawing huge ovations from a rowdy audience. The 20,000-capacity venue was at least three-quarters full for the evening rally.
'You people are suffering,' Trump told the Texans. 'I'm in New York, but they're in New York, too. They're all over the place.'"
---Associated Press, September 15, 2015
The Dow Increases 228 Points
September 15, 2015 (Tuesday)
Immigration Crisis in Europe: Unrest at Hungarian Border
September 16, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above:
Breitbart.com: Coverage of the Border Crisis in Hungary, September 16, 2015
New York Times: Coverage of the Immigration Crisis in Europe, September 16, 2015
"In one of the worst bursts of violence that this tense refugee summer has seen, Hungarian riot police responded on Wednesday to rocks, taunts and small fires set by agitated migrants at the border crossing here with water cannons, head-cracking batons and both tear gas and pepper spray.
Although the word was quickly spreading along the migrant trail that heading toward Croatia from Serbia was a better bet than trying to push through the heavily guarded border into Hungary, hundreds of straggling refugees continued to turn up at the crossing here in hopes that Hungary would change its mind and let them through."
---New York Times, September 16, 2015
GOP Presidential Debate at the Reagan Presidential Library
September 16, 2015 (Wednesday)
New York Times: Coverage of the GOP Presidential Debate, September 16, 2015
"Determined to prove their mettle, several Republican presidential candidates showed new aggressiveness in lacing into Donald J. Trump on Wednesday night, seeking to elevate themselves as leaders of substance and shake up a race that Mr. Trump has dominated all summer.
While moderators at the CNN debate tried repeatedly to pit one Republican after another against Mr. Trump, the candidates fought to break out of that dynamic, with Carly Fiorina emerging as an especially tenacious combatant who provided some of the few moments where Mr. Trump looked uncomfortable.
The debate covered a broad range of subjects — immigration, the nuclear deal with Iran, same-sex marriage, federal financing for Planned Parenthood — and was more inclusive than the first debate last month, allowing each of the 11 candidates to engage through a nearly three-hour forum that tested their endurance."
---New York Times, September 16, 2015
Culture War: Man at Donald Trump Rally Declares Muslims to be a National Problem, and Calls Obama a Muslim
September 17, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of GOP presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at a town hall event in Rochester, New Hampshire, September 17, 2015
Associated Press: Man at Trump Rally Claims Obama is a Muslim, September 17, 2015
The Daily Beast: Birthers Triumphant
September 18, 2015 (Friday)
PBS.org: Study Reveals that 87 out of 91 Deceased NFL Players in Study had CTE
Pope Francis Visits Cuba
September 19, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Pope Francis and President of Cuba Raul Castro in Havana, Cuba on September 19, 2015
New York Times: Coverage of Pope Francis in Cuba, September 19, 2015
"In brokering the historic thaw between Cuba and the United States, Pope Francis stepped squarely into the thorny realm of geopolitics, sending letters to the presidents of both nations, playing host to secret meetings in the halls of the Vatican and nudging the Cold War enemies to put a half-century of vitriol and mistrust behind them.
But as he arrived in Havana on Saturday, the first stop of a nine-day papal trip to Cuba and the United States, Francis faced a new challenge altogether: Having helped open up Cuba to the world, the first Latin American pope must now try to fully open up Cuba to the Roman Catholic Church. 'It is an occasion to ask for more openness,' said the Rev. Jorge Cela, who oversaw the Jesuit religious order in Cuba from 2010 to 2012. 'The relationship is not easy.'
Francis was greeted at the airport by President Raúl Castro and children who welcomed him with flowers."
---New York Times, September 19, 2015
September 20, 2015 (Sunday)
Associated Press: Syriza Victorious in Greek Election, September 20, 2015
2015 NFL Season: Carolina Panthers 24, Houston Texans 17
September 20, 2015 (Sunday)
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Drops out of the Presidential Race
September 21, 2015 (Monday)
Above: Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker
Pope Francis Arrives in the United States, Greeted by President Obama
September 22, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of Pope Francis and President Barack Obama at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland on September 22, 2015
Associated Press: Coverage of Pope Francis' Arrival in the United States, September 22, 2015
"The pope of the poor arrived for his first-ever visit to the world's wealthiest superpower Tuesday denying he is a leftist and riding in a frugal little family car, windows rolled down.
Pope Francis' chartered plane from Cuba touched down at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where President Barack Obama and his wife and daughters paid him the rare honor of meeting him at the bottom of the stairs on the red-carpeted tarmac. Presidents usually make important visitors come to them at the White House.
Emerging from the aircraft to loud cheers from a crowd of hundreds, the smiling 78-year-old pontiff removed his skullcap in the windy weather and made his way down the steps in his white robes.
He was welcomed by a military honor guard, chanting schoolchildren, politicians, and Roman Catholic clerics in black robes with vivid sashes of scarlet and purple. Joe Biden, the nation's first Catholic vice president, and his wife were among those who greeted him.
Eschewing a limousine, the pope climbed into the back of a little Fiat sandwiched between huge black SUVs. He promptly rolled down the windows, enabling the cheering, whooping crowds to see him as his motorcade took him to the Vatican diplomatic mission in Washington, where he will stay while in the nation's capital."
---Associated Press, September 22, 2015
Pope Francis in Washington, D.C.
September 23, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: AP photo of First Lady Michelle Obama, Pope Francis, and President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, D.C., September 23, 2015
Associated Press: Coverage of Pope Francis in the USA, September 23, 2015
"Cheered by jubilant crowds across the nation's capital, Pope Francis forged common cause Wednesday with President Barack Obama on climate change, immigration and inequality, as the popular pontiff signaled he would not sidestep issues that have deeply divided Americans.
On his first full day in the United States, the pope also reached out to America's 450 bishops, many of whom have struggled to come to terms with his new social justice-minded direction for the Catholic Church. He gently prodded the bishops to forgo 'harsh and divisive language,' while commending their 'courage' in the face of the church's sexual abuse scandal — rhetoric that angered victims he may meet with later in his trip.
Late in the day, Francis — the first pope from the Americas — canonized Junipero Serra, the famous 18th century Spanish friar who brought the Catholic faith to California."
---Associated Press, September 23, 2015
Pope Francis Delivers Address to the United States Congress
September 24, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Above:
Associated Press: Coverage of Pope Francis' Address to Congress, September 24, 2015
New York Times: Coverage of the Papal Address Before the U.S. Congress, September 24, 2015
Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, Announces his Resignation
September 25, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photos of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, during his press conference on September 25, 2015
Above: Written statement from Speaker of the House John Boehner announcing his resignation
Above: AP photo of ultra-conservative U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, at the Values Voter Summit event on September 25, 2015
Associated Press: House Speaker John Boehner Announces Resignation, September 25, 2015
"Plunging Congress into deeper turmoil, House Speaker John Boehner abruptly announced his resignation Friday, shutting down a tea party drive to depose the nation's highest-ranking Republican but opening up fresh troubles for the GOP.
The 13-term Ohio lawmaker, second in line to the presidency, shocked his rank-and-file when he told them of his plans in an emotional closed-door meeting. He said he would step down from the speaker's job he's held for nearly five years, and from Congress, at the end of October.
One important result: A government shutdown threatened for next week is all but sure to be averted — but only for now. A new December deadline and a potentially market-rattling fight over the government's borrowing limit still lie ahead.
Boehner's announcement came one day after a high point of his congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to Congress at the speaker's request.
It also came before what would have been a new low: a potential floor vote to oust him as speaker, pushed by Republican tea partyers convinced he was capitulating in a struggle over Planned Parenthood funding that threatened a government shutdown next Thursday. Such a formal challenge against a speaker has not been used in the House for over 100 years.
On Friday, an upbeat Boehner declared that he'd decided to spare the House, and himself, the chaos such a vote would bring."
---Associated Press, September 25, 2015
The Daily Beast: Boehner Falls Victim to "Kamikaze Caucus"
"'I consider this a victory for the crazies,' said one Republican congressman who attended the meeting in which Speaker John Boehner shocked the political world by announcing his resignation.
Boehner, the consummate congressional dealmaker, faced another looming government shutdown. His abrupt decision to resign at the end of October is a sign that there are no more deals to be made with the conservative Kamikaze caucus.
The fundamentalist crew that Boehner-allied Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes has called 'lemmings with suicide vests' and 'right-wing Marxists' has been preparing to take the country to the brink of shutdown and default again this fall over their demand to defund Planned Parenthood and refusal to raise the debt ceiling."
---John Avlon, The Daily Beast, September 25, 2015
Salon: John Boehner's Rough Time as Speaker
Salon: The Failures of John Boehner
Politico: The Republican Civil War
Politico: "The Cannibal Party"
NBC News Analysis: Why House Republicans Thwarted Boehner, September 25, 2015
Associated Press: Conservative Joy Over the Fall of Boehner
"The news of House Speaker John Boehner's resignation brought hundreds of religious conservatives to their feet to cheer — and one after another, much of the Republican Party's presidential class joined Friday in their rejoicing."
---Associated Press, September 25, 2015
New York Times: John Boehner to Resign Speakership
"Speaker John A. Boehner, under intense pressure from conservatives in his party, announced on Friday that he would resign one of the most powerful positions in government and give up his House seat at the end of October, as Congress moved to avert a government shutdown.
Mr. Boehner, who was first elected to Congress in 1990, made the announcement in an emotional meeting with his fellow Republicans on Friday morning."
---New York Times, September 25, 2015
Washington Post: Editorial Regarding the Resignation of House Speaker John Boehner
Pope Francis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 26, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of Pope Francis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015; AP photo of Pope Francis and a disabled boy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015
Above: AP photos of Pope Francis at mass in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015
New York Times: Coverage of the Pope in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2015
"On the final leg of his first trip to the United States, Francis arrived in Philadelphia and went straight to the city’s Roman Catholic basilica, exhorting ordinary Catholics to bolster their role in sustaining the church. After a Mass before 2,400 people and a long midday rest, he traveled to Independence Mall and broadened his canvas: addressing the place of faith in a nation."
---New York Times, September 26, 2015
Iraq Announces Greater Russian and Iranian Role in Matters of Intelligence and Security
September 26-27, 2015 (Saturday-Sunday)
Above: Map of the Middle East showing the proximity of Iraq, Iran, and a small portion of Russia
Above: World map with Russia highlighted in orange, and Iraq highlighted and circled in green
Above: World map with Russia highlighted in orange, and Iran highlighted in green
Above: World map with Russia highlighted in green, and Syria highlighted and circled in orange
Reuters: Iraq Announces Greater Cooperation with Russia and Iran, September 26, 2015
"Iraq said on Saturday that its military officials were engaged in intelligence and security cooperation in Baghdad with Russia, Iran and Syria to counter the threat from the Islamic State militant group, a pact that could raise concerns in Washington.
A statement from the Iraqi military's joint operations command said the cooperation had come 'with increased Russian concern about the presence of thousands of terrorists from Russia undertaking criminal acts with Daesh (Islamic State).'
The move could give Moscow more sway in the Middle East. It has stepped up its military involvement in Syria in recent weeks while pressing for Damascus to be included in international efforts to fight Islamic State, a demand Washington rejects.
Moscow's involvement in Iraq could mean increased competition for Washington from a Cold War enemy as long-time enemy Iran increases its influence through Shi'ite militia allies just four years after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
By raising the stakes in Syria's four-year-old civil war, Russia has prompted its Cold War foe to expand diplomatic channels with it.
Western officials have said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wants to launch a new effort at the U.N. General Assembly this week to try to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict.
Diplomacy has taken on new urgency in light of Russia's military build-up in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a refugee crisis that has spilled into Europe.
Critics have urged U.S. President Barack Obama to be more decisive in the Middle East, particularly towards the Syrian conflict, and say lack of a clear American policy has given Islamic State opportunities to expand."
---Reuters, September 26, 2015
Associated Press: Iraq to Collaborate with Russia, Iran, and Syria on Certain Intelligence and Security Matters
"Iraq's military said Sunday it will begin sharing 'security and intelligence' information with Syria, Russia and Iran to help combat the Islamic State group, a move that could further complicate U.S. efforts to battle the extremists without working with Damascus and its allies."
---Associated Press, September 27, 2015
New York Times: Iraq to Share Intelligence with Russia, Iran, and Syria
"The Iraqi military announced Sunday that it had agreed to share intelligence about the Islamic State with Russia, the Syrian government and Iran, an agreement that caught the Obama administration off guard.
The Iraqi military said in a statement that the new agreement was necessary because thousands of volunteers who have joined the Islamic State have come from Russia. Asked if he welcomed the accord, Secretary of State John Kerry said it was important that the United States and Russia coordinate."
---New York Times, September 27, 2015
French President Francois Hollande Announces French Attacks Carried Out in Syria
September 27, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: President of France Francois Hollande; Wikipedia map of Syria
Associated Press: France Announces Airstrikes Carried Out Against Syria
"Six French jet fighters targeted and destroyed an Islamic State training camp in eastern Syria in a five-hour operation on Sunday, President Francois Hollande announced, making good on a promise to go after the group that he has said is planning attacks against several countries, including France.
The multiple airstrikes were the first in Syria by France as it expands its mission against IS, until now centered in Iraq."
---Associated Press, September 27, 2015
House Speaker John Boehner Denounces "False Prophets" Within the GOP
September 27, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: John Boehner, R-Ohio; AP photo of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas
Politico: John Boehner Warns of "False Prophets"
CBS News: Boehner Warns of "False Prophets," September 27, 2015
City in Afghanistan Falls to the Taliban
September 28, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP map of Afghanistan showing Kunduz, the city captured by the Taliban on September 28, 2015; AP photo of a Taliban militant holding a weapon in Kunduz, Afghanistan on September 28, 2015
New York Times: Taliban Captures Significant City in Afghanistan, September 28, 2015
Associated Press: Important Afghan City Captured by the Taliban, September 28, 2015
"The Taliban captured the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Monday in a multi-pronged attack involving hundreds of fighters, the first time the insurgents have seized a major urban area since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.
The fast-moving assault took military and intelligence agencies by surprise as the insurgents descended on the city, one of Afghanistan's richest and the target of repeated Taliban offensives as the militants spread their fight across the country following the withdrawal last year of U.S. and NATO combat troops.
Within 12 hours of launching the offensive around 3 a.m., the militants had reached the main square, tearing down photographs of President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders and raising the white flag of the Taliban movement, residents reported.
More than 600 prisoners, including 140 Taliban fighters, were released from the city's jail, and many people were trying to reach the airport to flee the city."
---Associated Press, September 28, 2015
Pew Research Publishes Report Regarding U.S. Immigrant Population
September 28, 2015 (Monday)
Above:
PewHispanic.org: Report on Foreign-Born U.S. Population, September 28, 2015
"Fifty years after passage of the landmark law that rewrote U.S. immigration policy, nearly 59 million immigrants have arrived in the United States, pushing the country’s foreign-born share to a near record 14%. For the past half-century, these modern-era immigrants and their descendants have accounted for just over half the nation’s population growth and have reshaped its racial and ethnic composition.
Looking ahead, new Pew Research Center U.S. population projections show that if current demographic trends continue, future immigrants and their descendants will be an even bigger source of population growth. Between 2015 and 2065, they are projected to account for 88% of the U.S. population increase, or 103 million people, as the nation grows to 441 million."
---Pew Research Center, September 28, 2015
President Obama Addresses the United Nations General Assembly
September 28, 2015 (Monday)
NASA Announces Liquid Water Does Flow on the Surface of Mars
September 28, 2015 (Monday)
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and First Lady Now Officially Divorced
September 29, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama First Lady Dianne Bentley in Montgomery, Alabama on January 19, 2015
Associated Press: Alabama Governor and First Lady Now Divorced, September 29, 2015
"A judge on Tuesday signed a divorce decree for Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and former first lady Dianne Bentley, quietly concluding the couple's 50-year marriage.
Tuscaloosa Family Court Judge Philip Lisenby signed the decree a day after the Bentleys submitted an agreement to divide their financial assets and a month after Dianne Bentley filed for divorce saying their marriage had suffered an 'irretrievable breakdown.'
Dianne Bentley told the judge in a sworn statement unsealed Tuesday that the couple, both 72, had become incompatible, citing a difference in their preferred lifestyle."
---Associated Press, September 29, 2015
Russia Begins Conducting Airstrikes in Syria
September 30, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Antiwar.com map of Syria; President of Russia Vladimir Putin; President of Syria Bashar al-Assad
Above: AP photo of U.S. Secretary of State at a United Nations Security Council meeting, September 30, 2015
New York Times: Russia Carries Out Airstrikes in ISIS, September 30, 2015
"President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ordered a round of airstrikes in Syria on Wednesday, adding an unpredictable and potentially destabilizing element to a complex sectarian war that has drawn in the United States and regional powers while creating millions of refugees.
While Moscow’s stated purpose in Syria is to fight Islamic State militants, Russian warplanes and helicopter gunships dropped bombs north of the central city of Homs, in an area held by rebel groups opposed to Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, a Russian ally. The attacks were unleashed hours after Mr. Putin pushed a measure through the upper house of Russia’s rubber stamp Parliament authorizing the use of force abroad."
---New York Times, September 30, 2015
Associated Press: U.S. Voices Concerns About Russian Actions in Syria, September 30, 2015
"Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday that the Russian airstrikes in Syria appear to have targeted areas that do not include Islamic State fighters, a development which Secretary of State John Kerry said would cause 'grave concern' for the United States.
Kerry told the United Nations Security Council that the U.S. would not object to Russians hitting Islamic State or al-Qaida targets but airstrikes just to strengthen the hand of Syrian President Bashar Assad would be worrisome."
---Associated Press, September 30, 2015
Reuters: Pro-Assad Russia Launches Airstrikes in Syria, September 30, 2015
"Russia launched air strikes in Syria on Wednesday in the Kremlin's biggest Middle East intervention in decades, but Moscow's assertion that it had hit Islamic State was immediately disputed by the United States and rebels on the ground.
The air strikes plunged the four-year-old civil war in Syria into a volatile new phase as President Vladimir Putin moved forcefully to assert Russian influence in the unstable region.
Moscow and Washington offered conflicting accounts of which targets had been struck, underlining growing tensions between the two former Cold War foes over Russia's decision to intervene. Washington is concerned that Moscow is more interested in propping up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad than in beating Islamic State.
The Russian defense ministry said the strikes targeted military equipment, communication facilities, arms depots, ammunition and fuel belonging to Islamic State.
U.S. officials said targets in the Homs area appeared to have been struck, but not areas held by Islamic State.
Russia warned the United States ahead of the strikes to keep its aircraft out of Syrian airspace, but the United States pressed forward with its campaign of air strikes against Islamic State forces and said it had targeted Islamic State near the Syrian city of Aleppo.
A U.S. official said Moscow gave Washington just an hour's notice of its strikes, which the Kremlin said were designed to help Assad, its closest regional ally, push back Islamist militants."
---Reuters, September 30, 2015
October 2015